Defiance
by Seeroftodayandtomorrow
Summary: Blaine has never found someone he trusts enough to be able to really submit. When he meets well-known Dom Kurt in a club, will they both be able to overcome their insecurities and perhaps find love in the process? Dom/sub story inspired by the 'Deviations'-series.
1. Chapter 1

There was this thing about birthdays, Kurt Hummel thought as he stood in front of the mirror in his dressing room, adding the last touches to the elaborate outfit he was wearing. The thing was, when you turned 30, your friends went out of their way to throw you a big party that you didn't want because you just went through a painful breakup and were in no mood for celebration. When you turned 31, however, and you were finally in a good place again, all you got was a few cards and a phone call.

It didn't matter, though. There was nothing he would rather do tonight than what he had planned.

He had made the arrangement for tonight a month ago, and Elliot had warned him that his return to _Defiance_ after an absence of over six months would cause some waves among the staff and regulars, so Kurt planned to look his part. Tight black leather pants, white dress shirt with a bit of a silver sheen to it, black vest. He looked like he wanted to be seen, like he, in spite of everything, still saw himself.

Although he didn't plan on drinking tonight, he took a cab to the club, and was greeted at the door by Elliot, who took him to a private dining area first and then hugged him.

"Happy birthday, my friend. I wanted to talk to you before you eat, because I hope that you will accept a guest."

"Oh?" Kurt was intrigued. He had hoped Elliot would set him up with somebody.

"Yes. I always thought you might be a good fit, but you always missed each other. He first started coming after you had entered your contract with Chandler, then he entered a contract, but then, after you stopped coming, he appeared regularly and played with every Dom I set him up with, but never more than once. But now you're here again...I really think you could be good for him. You could be good for each other."

"Well, I'm here to play, so...send him in."

When there was a knock on the door, Kurt sat up expectantly, but it was only the waiter bringing a bottle of water in a cooler.

"It is so nice to have you back again, Master Kurt," he said with respectfully downcast eyes, but a wide grin. "The staff is quite excited."

"Thanks, boy," Kurt said, leaning back so the waiter could pour. "I'm glad to be back."

"Are you going to play?"

"I am. But I think I have been set up already."

"That will be cause for some disappointment. Your food will be ready in a minute, sir."

"Thank you. Please make it for two."

When the door opened again, it was without a knock. The man who entered seemed to be a little younger than Kurt, in his mid-twenties. He was quite handsome, although he was simply dressed, as if he hadn't come to _Defiance _to attract any attention. He looked Kurt directly in the eyes, something he was not used to at all, at least here, and quite unexpected in a sub. Kurt could see the man would require some work, and smiled. He liked a man extended a hand, still looking at Kurt. "My name is Blaine."

"Kurt." They did not offer last names; _Defiance _was all about discretion.

"Please sit down. I hope you like trout."

"I do, thank you. I did not expect an invitation to dinner."

It was not how things were done here, usually. Although _Defiance _was a lot classier than most similar etablissements, a glass or two was usually the most the men would share before they went upstairs to play.

"It is my birthday. I'm feeling generous."

"Happy birthday." The _Sir _was not there, not quite, but Kurt could almost hear it. And it would sound so good, when he finally did. But they hadn't even started negotiations yet.

"Oh, I intend it to be so. And I hope you will help me."

Blaine swallowed visibly. "I – I would like that."

"Good." Kurt smiled, then their food arrived and they fell quiet for a moment as the waiter served them.

"Thanks, boy," Kurt said, watching Blaine's reaction to his obvious display of dominance. "You may leave now. We'll call if we need something."

Blaine's reaction was subtle, but there. He swallowed, the grip on his silverware got noticeably tighter, and he was fidgeting for a moment, crossing and uncrossing his legs under the table. Kurt was intrigued by Blaine's obvious desire to submit and his simultaneous hesitation to do so, and he thought he was in for an interesting evening.

Kurt was quiet for a while, eating his food, letting the tension in the room build. Then he asked,

"Limits?"

Blaine was taken aback for a moment by the direct question, but recovered quickly.

"Um...Watersports, bloodplay, complete sensory deprivation. Um...I see you're only drinking water, that's good. You have to be completely sober. If there is even a little bit of alcohol involved, I leave at once."

"I never drink before a scene. Or during. Safewords?"

"I don't use them."

Now Kurt was shocked. _Defiance _was probably as safe as you could be in the lifestyle ouside of a committed relationship, as Doms were chosen carefully and required to go through several testing stages until they gained full acceptance. Sub abuse was rare and resulted in immediate exclusion. Still, going without a safeword was...risky. Reckless.

"You will, with me. Yellow for slow down, red for stop. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

Kurt smiled to himself. Time to get started.

"Yes, Sir."

Blaine swallowed, then straightened his shoulders and looked down. "Yes, Sir."

"Good boy. Finish your meal, then I want you to go upstairs. Room 206. Freshen up, then lay out anything you want me to use. I don't promise I will, though I will promise not to use anything on you that you haven't put there. Strip. for me."

Blaine finished his food in no rush, but he didn't delay, either. When he was done, he laid down his silverware, drank some more water, then stood and, without a look at Kurt, left the room.

Kurt took his time. He finished his food and his drink, then ordered two more bottles of water from the bar and waited until they arrived. Then he took the bottles and went up the stairs to room 206.

He silently opened and closed the door and placed the water on the side table. He looked at the rather minimalistic display of things on the bedspread: a heavy flogger and lube. No condoms. He could work with that; a simple scene was probably better for the time being. He took his time, running the tails of the flogger through his fingers and then smacking it on the palm of his hand, not hard enough to hurt, but enough to make a sound. Only then did he acknowledge Blaine's presence, circling him once and then standing before him and just watching. He was kneeling on the floor, naked, his hands on his back. His posture was perfect, his back perfectly straight, his head bowed just a little, and his legs were spread just wide enough that his half-hard cock was displayed nicely. Still, he seemed to be...not in it so much as just acting. His body clearly knew – and liked – what it was doing, but his mind was somewhere else. Well, Kurt intended to change that. He carded his hand through Blaine's hair and could see him briefly closing his eyes, relishing the touch.

"Good boy," he said quietly. "You are beautiful like this."

He spent a few more minutes like this, standing beside Blaine, running his fingers through his hair and caressing his face. Then he went to the bed, put away the bedspread and the pillows except for one, which he placed in the middle of the bed.

"Lie on the bed," he told Blaine. "Face down, belly on the pillow. Make sure you're comfortable, you're going to be there for a long time."

Blaine rose gracefully and obeyed, lying down on the bed, his ass elevated by the pillow.

"I won't restrain you, but I want you to stay still. If you move, I'll stop. And don't come without my permission."

Kurt took a moment to appreciate the beautiful sight of the sub, willing and pliant, on the bed – a sight he had much too long gone without – and then concentrated on the task at hand.

He started teasing Blaine with the flogger, slowly running it over his back, ass and legs. Blaine stayed still and silent, except for the occasional gasp when he came across a particularly ticklish spot, and once, when he teased at what he could reach of Blaine's cock and balls. After a while of this, the first stroke, though gentle, hit Blaine like a shock. He gasped and moaned and seemed to have to struggle a little to stay still.

Kurt continued flogging Blaine, gradually increasing the intensity of the strokes. He didn't expect to be able to put Blaine into subspace, not at their first scene, but he wanted him to get as near as possible. So he took care to keep a constant rhythm, not alternating the speed, but hitting evenly about every ten seconds to give the sensations time to flood Blaine's whole body.

However, he paused every few strokes to gently caress Blaine's body, soothing the reddening skin and slowly traveling down to his ass, eventually teasing at his hole.

His strokes were practised and didn't tire him much; he could do this for a long time. But he didn't know Blaine, he didn't know when the pain would change from pleasurable to unpleasant or worse, and he didn't really trust him to use his safe words. He thought he had Blaine in the right mindset now, but he didn't know if he got off on pain or on the submission alone. So, when Blaine's moans started to sound a little strained, he decided to speed things up a little. On the next pause, he quickly lubed up his fingers and gently, but without warning, pushed two inside Blaine.

Blaine shouted and fought not to move, though he couldn't help but arch his back a little. Kurt chose to ignore it, because Blaine was trying so hard and had clearly been taken by surprise. He toook up the flogger again and continued hitting Blaine in slow, even strokes while pumping his fingers in and out of Blaine's body.

"Sir, please, do I – may I touch myself?"

Kurt smiled. He was pleased he got Blaine to begging, and that he asked for this, that Kurt hadn't explicitly forbidden. But -

"No. You may, however, come as soon as you want."

"Sir, I can't -"

"Oh, you can." Kurt hadn't lost the confidence in his own abilities. He crooked his fingers, pressing directly against Blaine's prostate, and aimed a few quick, hard strokes at Blaine's ass that had him shouting again and coming hard, arching his back and then slumping down on the bed. For a few moments, the only sound was the heavy breathing of the two men. Then Kurt thought he heard a muffled sob. Kurt dropped the flooger and knelt beside Blaine on the bed, trying to figure out how to turn him without hurting his tender back, but Blaine anticipated his move and sat up. He knelt on the bed without being asked, all the while crying silently and looking incredibly frustrated. Kurt put his arms around him.

"What is it, sweetheart?"

Blaine sighed. "Fuck. I'm sorry, Sir. I moved."

Kurt smiled and brushed a sweaty strand of hair out of Blaine's face. "Yes, you did. But it seems to upset you much more than me, much more than such a small fault would justify. Do you want to tell me why that is?"

"I don't even know, Sir. I was so fixated on not moving, on being good for you, that it feels like I let you down. And myself."

"You were good for me, sweetheart. Your submission was beautiful. Thank you."

"Thank you, Sir. You are... a very talented Dom. But – you didn't – may I pleasure you, Sir?"

Kurt's forgotten erection returned with a vengeance at these words, and he was at a loss at what to do. On the one hand, he didn't want Blaine to think he wasn't good enough, or submissive enough, as he was sure to when he was rejected now. On the other hand, he was quite sure that Blaine wasn't entirely emotionally stable at the moment. It wouldn't be right.

"No, sweetheart, I'm fine."

Blaine looked so dejected at that answer that Kurt just had to give him something. He tilted Blaine's head up a little and let him look in his eyes, then he pressed their lips together. Blaine stiffened for a moment, surprised, then completely relaxed in Kurt's arms. They kissed for a while, Blaine's lips open and pliant under Kurt's. When Kurt broke the kiss, Blaine smiled again.

"Thank you, Sir. I've never been kissed by a Dom before. It was lovely."

"They missed a lot." Kurt took a pen and wrote his number on a piece of paper which he then handed to Blaine.

"You've been very good tonight, sweetheart. I would very much like to meet with you again. This is my private phone number. If you would like to play again, call or text me. I might not be able to answer right away, but I'll always return the call."

"Thank you, Sir. This is a great honor, and much appreciated."

Kurt smiled and kissed Blaine again briefly. "Now lie down, I want to tend to your back."

He took a bottle of cooling lotion and carefully and tenderly rubbed some on Blaine's back, extending the caress until Blaine was completely relaxed and close to sleep. He draped a blanket over him and pressed a kiss to the top of his head.

"I have to go, unfortunately. You can sleep here for some time."

"Thank you, Sir. Good night."

Kurt left the room, softly closing the door. He really needed a drink.


	2. Chapter 2

Kurt found Elliot at the main bar, talking to a few other regulars, most of them Doms who had their subs quietly sitting or kneeling beside them. Kurt marched up to Elliot and punched him in the chest – softly, because although he might be a Dom, around here, Elliot was _the _Dom and also Kurt's mentor, and he didn't need corner time or a spanking to be reminded of it.

"This is all your fault," he said, sat down and ordered a whiskey sour because he really needed one right now.

Elliot looked confused.

"I'm sorry, I was sure you'd be a good match. Did something go wrong? Do I have a mess to clear up upstairs?"

"Please, what do you take me for? He's sleeping, all cared for and tucked in. The mess is me."

Elliot signaled the bartender to pour him another drink.

"So what happened?"

"I – he's just so – I just want to take care of him. I kissed him, Elliot. I gave him my private phone number and told him to call if he wanted to meet again. _I _want to meet him again,"

Elliot let out a low whistle. "I thought you would fit, but I'll admit I didn't anticipate this. You, playing with the same sub twice? That hasn't happened since...well, before Chandler, anyway."

Kurt sighed. "I know. He was just so...he couldn't let go, you know, at first? But when he finally did, he was so beautiful. He submitted perfectly on the outside, but I know there's more there, that there's so much more of him that waits to be woken. And I want to be the one who does it."

He sipped on his drink. "He dislikes safewords, and he has no real idea about his own limits. He will be hurt, Elliot. I think he has already been hurt. There is a scar on his shoulder that looks like it could be from knife play gone wrong, and his trust issues are up the wall. I think he's been abused."

Elliot nodded, but declined Kurt's demand to tell him more. "You know I can't do that, my friend. He is a client, it's part of his contract, it's confidential. But," he added when Kurt wanted to protest, "Maybe you want to talk to his last Dom. He is not bound by a contract anymore, he might tell you more. He's not the one who – you know. They're not together anymore, obviously, but they parted on good terms."

"Who is he? Do I know him? Does he know me?"

Elliot laughed. "Everyone knows you, Kurt. But no, I don't think you know him, You might have seen him around once or twice, but he doesn't come often anymore. I fear I'll soon lose his business. But you're in luck today. He sits over there."

He pointed at a thin, tall man who sat alone at the end of the bar, no sub at his side, an untouched drink before him.

"Excuse me for a minute," Kurt said to Elliot, downed his drink and walked up top the other man.

"Hello, I'm Kurt," he introduced himself, then got right to the point. "I was wondering if you would discuss Blaine with me."

The other man grinned. "Not beating around the bush, are we? I'm Sebastian. I heard you were playing with Blaine today. How did it go?" His skepticism was evident, and Kurt sensed that he still felt protective of Blaine.

"It went fine, mostly. But I'm aware that there are some...issues."

Sebastian nodded. "Look, I wouldn't discuss Blaine's business with just anyone. But you have quite a reputation around here, and I figure you wouldn't ask if you didn't have any interest in Blaine besides a one-time scene. So I guess you want to know why we're not together anymore?"

When Kurt nodded, he continued.

"When we got together, we both didn't really know what we wanted. Blaine had quit the lifestyle for a while, I was new to it altogether, had just finished training. For a time, we tiptoed around each other, neither expecting a lot, both of us quite content for the time being. We did a few scenes, nothing elaborate, but...I was too inexperienced, I didn't challenge him, didn't push him enough. So he started acting out on me, and I promised him punishment. We met at my home. I had bought a cage. He seemed anxious about it, was reluctant to be locked in, but he didn't tell me why, and he didn't safeword. So I locked him in, and after some time in which he was calm, if not relaxed, I had to go to the bathroom. I told him I wasn't leaving, I'd be back. I wasn't gone for five minutes, but when I came back, he was in a complete panic. I let him out at once, wanted to comfort him, but he just screamed at me and wanted to leave."

Kurt clenched his teeth. This was no Dom he was training, not his responsibility. So he wouldn't call him out on leaving a sub in bondage, on not doing his job. But he wanted to.

Sebastian took a sip of his drink and sighed, then continued.

"Look, I was just inexperienced, okay? I learned a lot since then, I wouldn't do it again. No need to shoot daggers at me. Anyway, I let him go. I didn't know what else to do. He called me a few days later and we talked. He explained some things to me, no particulars, but apparently his former Dom was a drunk and locked him in a cage and then just forgot about him, I don't know for how long. We tried playing a few times afterwards, but I was too afraid to hurt him again and he didn't really trust me. So we decided to end it."

Kurt nodded. "Something else I should know? He's not...a pain slut, is he?"

"No, he isn't. I mean, he likes the flogger or the crop well enough, he'll even take the bullwhip, but you won't get better results if you hit him longer or harder."

Kurt nodded, relieved. He didn't think he could do that again, not even for Blaine.

"Let's see, what else...he's a natural submissive, but he won't give you anything but the basics on his own. You need to take everything. He's a perfectionist, he has ridiculously high expectations of himself, and sometimes he'll get angry if he thinks you cut him too much slack. He's honest, he'll tell you about any breach of rule he thinks he needs to be punished for, but he'll also tell you if he thinks a punishment is unjustified. He is happiest in complete submission, but you will have to fight him to get him there."

Sebastian thought for a moment, then shook his head. "I think that's it. Blaine Anderson 101."

He put a hand against his mouth. "Shit."

Kurt chuckled. "It's okay. He has my phone number, I think he'd be okay with me having his last name."

Sebastian smiled back, a little weakly, and rose. "I have to go. But, Kurt? Treat him well. He's a good sub. A good man."

"I will, I promise."

Kurt spent the next week buried in work. The fashion label he had started soon after college was small, but successful enough to make him more money than he'd thought realistic, but it was a lot of work. He didn't have to to find excuses to stay in long after hours, there was always something to do, but he was aware that he was doing it mostly to distract himself from thoughts about Blaine and from wondering if he was going to call him.

Of course, the call came on Thursday morning when he was in a meeting and couldn't answer, but he reached Blaine when he was able to call back two hours later. Blaine was oddly formal on the phone, but Kurt figured that he was at work, whatever he did. They agreed to meet at _Defiance _the same evening. Kurt would have liked a little more time to prepare, but it was Blaine's only free evening this week. So another simple scene would have to do.

Kurt arrived at the club a little early because he went there directly from work. He was still in his work clothes, too, though he had left his jacket at the door and rolled up his shirt sleeves. At the bar, he ordered an iced water, then sat down to wait for Blaine.

"Kurt."

That wasn't Blaine, but he knew the voice. He clenched his teeth to keep from swearing. Talk about bad timing. He stood and turned.

"Chandler. How are you?"

"Better now." Chandler looked into his eyes once, a challenge. Then he sank down on his knees.

"Sir." He grabbed Kurt's hands and pressed a kiss on each wrist, then nuzzled his thigh and indiscreetly mouthed at his cock before rising and whispering in his ear,

"Call me. I need to hear everything."

Kurt turned and saw Blaine, who had clearly witnessed the whole display. He didn't look angry, but curious, a little jealous and most definitely not pleased. Great. Chandler was obviously in need of a spanking, but that wasn't his job anymore. He called out to the other Doms in the room, only half joking,

"Could someone please put that boy on a leash? Literally?"

He walked to Blaine, who had sat down at their reserved table in the corner. They wouldn't eat together today; because their meeting today was so short notice, Kurt didn't have too much time available. Still, he wanted a more neutral place than one of the playrooms upstairs to talk to Blaine, now even more than before.

"Blaine. Thank you for calling me. Would you like something to drink?"

"No, thanks, Kurt. But I would like to ask a question. Who was that man?"

"Chandler. He's a regular here, I'm actually surprised you don't know him. He was also mine for a long time."

Blaine rolled his eyes. "I figured. It was rather obvious. He's very possessive, for a sub."

"We may not be in a contract, but I don't suffer disrespect gladly, towards me or any of my friends."

Blaine looked down. "I'm sorry, Sir. I did not mean to be disrespectful."

"If it eases your mind, Chandler and I don't play anymore."

"Thank you, Sir. It does indeed relieve me. I don't like to share."

"You are very possessive too, for a sub."

They talked for a whole more about nothing in particular, but Kurt kept one eye on the clock. Eventually, he said,

"I don't like to interrupt, but unfortunately, we are on a bit of a schedule. I have an early meeting tomorrow morning and would like to leave by eleven. So, if you want to play, I suggest we go upstairs now. If you want to talk, we should meet next week at a more...neutral place."

Blaine stood eagerly. "Upstairs, please, Sir."

In their room, Kurt ordered Blaine to strip and kneel. He himself kept his clothes on and watched Blaine closely. When Blaine knelt before him, he smiled and opened his pants.

"When we last met, you got off and I didn't. I think now I should get to come first, don't you?

Suck me, nice and slow. If we still have time afterwards, maybe you will come, too."

Kurt groaned when Blaine's lips closed around his cock. There was something about this, a sub on his knees before him trying his best to please him, that for him surpassed any ordinary blowjob, even if the sub should be inexperienced and have no idea how to suck cock. And Blaine cerrtainly knew what he was doing. He took his time like Kurt had requested, slowly but enthusiastically caressing his balls with his hand before he took one of them in his mouth, sucking gently. He teased for a while, but when Kurt was starting to get impatient, he finally dragged his tongue over the length of his cock and then around the head. When Blaine deepthroated him and swallowed around him, Kurt wished he had done this lying down or at least leaned against the wall, because his knees were starting to give out, and he grabbed Blaine's hair, for support as well as to keep his head exactly where it was. Blaine moaned around him, and it was almost enough to make Kurt come.

"Close...oh god. You're so...oh, so good, so good."

Blaine kept him at the edge for a little longer and then, with a last swirl of his tongue, sent him over.


	3. Chapter 3

Kurt slowly came down from his high. Blaine had a very talented mouth, but what pleased him even more was that he had done exactly as he had been told – not rushing, taking his time, even though he knew that when it took too long, he might not be able to get off himself. But they were not quite as short of time as Kurt had pretended, and Blaine definitely deserved a reward.

Blaine was still kneeling before him, his cock hard and his eyes cast down, but a smug little grin on his face. Kurt pulled him up and kissed him long, hard and claiming, then ordered him to lie face up on the bed, his eyes closed. He rummaged through the drawers a bit, wishing he was at home with his own supplies and his own toys, but finally found what he was looking for. He laid the items on a little table within easy reach from the bed, then knelt above Blaine.

"Open your eyes," he whispered.

When Blaine obeyed, Kurt slowly pulled off his tie and used it to tie Blaine's hands together above his head, and then to the bed. Blaine's eyes went wide, but he said nothing.

Kurt kissed him once more and ran his hands over Blaine's neck, arms and chest, before stopping at his nipples and rolling them between his fingers until they were hard. Blaine moaned and writhed a little beneath him, but when Kurt told him to be still, he instantly obeyed. Kurt kissed him as a reward, then took one of the items he had laid out before, a beautiful set of nipple clamps connected by a light silver chain, and applied them to Blaine's erect nipples. Blaine gasped with the pain, but he said nothing, and when Kurt looked into his eyes that he kept open obediently, they were starting to unfocus.

Kurt thought he understood now that for Blaine, it wasn't the pain itself he craved but the total submission it brought to surrender himself to it. It was the act of lying there, bound and clamped, after having served his master, that had Blaine's cock hard and leaking and himself sliding into subspace.

Kurt lubed up his hand and began stroking Blaine while kissing down his neck and then kissing and licking around the clamps at his nipples. He knew that the softness of his lips and tongue would offer a striking contrast to the bite of the clamps, and from the way Blaine whimpered and struggled to keep still, he felt the same way. Kurt lifted his head for a short time to whisper,

"You may move and make sounds and speak, if you want to, but don't come."

Blaine moaned, relieved, and began to buck up in Kurt's hand, seeking the friction, even though he knew he couldn't come. It didn't take long until he moaned with every breath, struggling against his bonds, until at last he started begging.

"Sir, please...so good...so...God...please let me come..."

Kurt kept stroking him, but slowed down a little. "Not yet, sweetheart. You'll know when."

He continued kissing and licking at Blaine's nipples and neck and gradually increased the speed of his hand on Blaine's cock, until Blaine was panting and drenched in sweat, struggling against the bonds tying him to the bed and trembling from the exertion of holding back. Then Kurt yanked on the chain connecting the nipple clamps and pulled them off. Blaine screamed at the pain of the blood rushing back and came violently in Kurt's hand, arching off the bed and slumping back down on it, before lying completely still, breathing heavily.

Kurt cleaned him up, sat beside him and carefully undid the tie, gently rubbing his wrists and the faint red marks that had appeared on them. He discreetly looked at the time on his cell and sighed inwardly. He should have left ten minutes ago, but there was no way he was leaving Blaine now. He smiled. Sleep was overrated, and couldn't compare to the feeling of having a sated sub in his arms. He pressed a kiss into Blaine's sweaty hair.

"You did so well, sweetheart, so beautifully. Such a good boy."

He draped a blanket over Blaine and then called room service for water, all the while holding Blaine, gently caressing him and whispering praise. When the water arrived, he had to rise to get it from where it had been left at the door, which caused a quiet protesting mumble from Blaine.

Kurt smiled as he hurried back to the bed.

"I'm here, sweetheart, I'm not leaving you. I just got you something to drink."

He helped Blaine to drink, which seemed to bring him back a little. He smiled at Kurt.

"Don't you have to leave, Sir?"

"Soon, unfortunately. But I can stay a little longer."

Blaine sighed contentedly and snuggled into Kurt's side to rest for a few more minutes. After a time, he sat up a little.

"Sir, what you give me, when we meet here, it's...I need that. I haven't felt like this – I don't know. In a very long time, if ever. So, if you're agreeable, I would like to meet you...somewhere else, to talk. Monday, perhaps?"

Kurt smiled. "Make it Tuesday, and I'm very agreeable."

Kurt was relieved. He had hoped for such a request; his second meeting with Blaine had only reinforced his desire to get to really know him, to do more than the occasional scene. He hoped that Blaine wanted the same, that this meant...Well. Better not get too run away with himself.

...

The next day, a little irritable after not enough sleep and a meeting that had gone less than well, Kurt called Chandler.

"Kurt! I've been waiting for you to call me."

"I know! You've made that very clear. Chan, what was that stunt you pulled yesterday?"

"In front of your new boy? Don't you know? Kurt, apart from Master Elliot himself, you are the best Dom we have. He needs to know that you have other options. He needs to know that he has to prove himself...worthy of you."

"I'm very flattered, Chan. But what you seem to forget is that_ I _decide if he's worthy. This is about Blaine and myself. It's none of your business."

"And that's where you're wrong. You met at the club, Master Elliot set you up, you caused a minor riot when you showed up after half a year and then played with the same sub twice. You talked to Blaine's former Dom, Blaine knows about me, you'll undoubtedly give Master Elliot a copy of your contract if you make one. Perhaps you'll even do a public scene once in a while. We're a tight group, Kurt, and you know how important it is to have friends within the lifestyle. You're not getting rid of us so easily."

Kurt had a lingering suspicion that he was right. Still...

"Don't do something like that again, Chandler. We're not together anymore, and there isn't, nor has there ever been, a need for you to protect me."

"Yes, Sir. I'm sorry, Sir."

Kurt sighed, rubbing his neck. "How are you? Honestly?"

"I'm fine, I guess. Still waiting, but I'll get there."

"...I'm sorry I couldn't be what you need."

"We've been over this, Kurt. It just wasn't. To be fair, my needs are rather...specific, and I wasn't  
what you needed either. But maybe your new boy is?"

"I couldn't tell yet. It's too soon. We're testing the waters right now. But...let's say, it's looking good. Still, I'm nervous. He wants to talk to me, I don't know exactly what about – I just hate not being in control."

"Duh," Chandler laughed. "But I'm sure it'll work out. I'm happy for you."

"Thank you, Chan. Have a good night."

"Good night, Sir."

"Chandler..."

"Sorry. Good night, Kurt."

...

Kurt spent the weekend cleaning up his playroom. It was a little premature, perhaps, but he was hopeful he would need it in the near future. He hadn't lied to Chandler – thinks were looking good.

On Sunday he met his friend Rachel for brunch. It was a tradition they had started after the end of his relationship with Chandler; Rachel had been single, too, and they had been determined to make the best of it by getting to see more of each other. He'd have to ask her now to shift their weekly outing to another day as he hoped to need his Sundays for Blaine, but he had to be careful – Rachel knew nothing about his lifestyle, and he planned to keep it this way.

So he only told her,

"I've met someone."

She squealed and asked the questions that were to be expected – when, where, when will I meet him, can he sing – which Kurt answered as best and as truthfully as he could without letting anything slip. It was a fine line he was walking, but he was used to it. The biggest difficulty was the point where his private life, his work and his friends, and his love life – which basically meant BDSM – overlapped. Parties, work functions, meeting friends who wanted to meet the man in his life – that was where it got complicated, but he could handle it. It had even worked out somehow with Chandler, who was utterly bad at pretending to be a boyfriend instead of a sub. Maybe Blaine would be better at it, and more agreeable to pretending on the whole.

...

Tuesday arrived both too soon and not soon enough. Blaine had chosen and texted Kurt where they would meet – a small Japanese restaurant that had cushions instead of chairs and low tables that were separated by paper walls. A waitress in a kimono led him to their table, and it all felt a little surreal, except that Blaine, on his knees, waiting for him was an increasingly familiar and very welcome sight.

"Blaine," he greeted him, kneeling on the opposite side of the table.

"Kurt, thanks for coming. You'll have to take your shoes off, they won't serve you until you do."

Kurt raised an eyebrow, but pulled off his shoes and placed them neatly against the paper wall.

"I'll admit this is not what I expected when I agreed to meet you 'on your turf."

"So what did you expect?" Blaine asked, pouring him tea from a pot kept on a warmer.

Kurt shrugged. "Somewhere with chairs?"

Blaine laughed. "Well, I figured if I wanted to see you on your knees even once, it would better be now. So I took the opportunity."

"You'll have to choose for me, too. I have never eaten Japanese food before."

"We'll do the beginner's version then. Nothing too exotic. The food is excellent here, I promise."

"Just don't expect a repeat of this," Kurt said with mock sternness. "I like you on your knees very much. Me – considerably less so." He shifted a bit in the unfamiliar position.

"I agree. It is a little weird. But I would like to talk to you face to face, as equals, today, if that's okay." He paused to order their food when the waitress returned, then sipped at his tea.

"As you've probably guessed, I'm interested in entering a contract with you."

"I'm not just a bedroom Dom, Blaine."

"I know. That wouldn't be enough for me. I'm not interested in a slave position, but I do enjoy service, and I would want to submit to you in every area within certain boundaries. I am an elementary school teacher, and if anything leaked about what I do in my free time, I would be fired immediately. I'm out, that's not the problem, so in public, anywhere but our homes and the club, you could be my boyfriend, but not my Dom. I know that's not for everyone, but it's not negotiable for me. I love my job, I want to keep it, and I also want to keep my friends who don't know about the lifestyle."

Kurt nodded, smiling. "That is definitely okay. It's similar with me. I'm a fashion designer, so a certain amount of eccentricity is expected of me, but I think the whole truth would be a little too much. And I have friends whom I don't want to explain the lifestyle to, so we're on the same page here. I would also like if we could be just boyfriends in public, rather than trying to keep our relationship on the whole a secret. It gets tiring very fast when friends want to set you up all the time when you have someone chained to your bed every night."

Blaine snorted and laughed, a little shocked. "I wouldn't know that. But – you'd be interested? In entering a contract?"

"Very much so."

"Why?"

"What do you mean, why?"

"You must have noticed I'm...that I don't submit easily. I'm not exactly sure I'm a good sub anymore. I used to be, I think, but some things happened, and I...I'm having difficulties, now. You are popular at _Defiance, _you could easily find someone with less...issues."

Kurt was saved for a moment when their food arrived, but he used the time to think about his answer. It was a valid question, and though it saddened him to hear Blaine talk about himself so deprecatingly, he meant to answer honestly.

"Do you want me to tell you what I know about you? I know you've been abused. I don't know particulars, almost nothing but the mere fact, but I do know that you had courage enough to return to the lifestyle even after an experience like that. You did that because you want to submit, because submission gives you something you need, something you don't get anywhere else. I know you're constantly pushing yourself to be better. I'm guessing that is why you didn't use safewords – an ill-advised attempt to surrender to whatever Dom you're currently playing with, but without having to really think about what _you _need, what _your _limits are. You intrigue me. I would very much like to show you that this kind of relationship is a two-way street, that for me to truly fulfill my needs, I have to be able to fulfill yours. And for that, I have to know you, but more importantly, you have to know yourself. I want to teach you. I want to try to wake what's in you. So what do you say?"


	4. Chapter 4

Blaine cocked his head and looked at him, then smiled.

"Okay," he said.

"Okay? You let me go through that whole speech and all you say is 'okay'?"

"Well." Blaine looked down, his smile a little unsure. "You were very persuasive. All I want is that you know what you're getting yourself into, and you seem to have thought about it, and...well. I'm just not sure I believe what you said about me."

"That's okay. We'll get there." Kurt leaned a little over the table, wanting to make sure Blaine really heard him. "Just believe me when I say that I thought about nothing else the last week. And I want you to know that you are not some kind of project for me. I really think we can be amazing together."

"Okay," Blaine said, a little teasing, his smile genuine.

Kurt shook his head, chuckling. "I'm looking forward to that cheekiness when we _are _in a contract."

He took a bite from his food, which was as promised very good, and then decided to keep to small talk for a while.

"So how did you come into the scene?"

Blaine smiled. "I knew what I wanted, had known for a while, but did not really know how to get there. I was just out of college, with a major in music education. And my grandmother had just died, and she had been the type, you know - "the gay is just a phase, just wait until you find the right girl", so we never got along very well, and then she left me some money with a very strong suggestion to use it to go back to college for business or law or something. And my mom – she and I get along really well, usually, she's great, but – she was so heartbroken over the death of her mother that she said I should try to honor her will, the business, the girl, everything. So I was really pissed that night, and I was on my way home and I had the money and the mood and came across a gay BDSM club called _Defiance._"

He shrugged, still smiling. "Seemed like fate."

"So you joined in a spur of the moment decision? Did you ever regret it?"

"Not really. I strayed once, after two years or so. Fancied myself all seasoned, all experienced, and went to a different club, one of the rather...seedy ones? I got picked up, was in a contract before I even knew what happened. That...didn't end well."

Kurt could imagine where this had led to, but he let it go for the moment. This was no topic for today. They went back to small talk for the duration of the meal, and when Blaine, who had insisted on it, had paid the bill, Kurt asked,

"So, what do you say you come to my place on Friday night, bring a bag, and I'll give you a tour and we go over the contract together, and if you still want to, we sign. If not, that's okay, no hard feelings, and you take your bag and I call you a cab. But I very much hope you sign and stay."

...

As soon as he was home, Blaine pulled out his phone. He knew it wasn't entirely fair to the person he was about to call, but he really needed to talk about this, and Sebastian was his only friend in the lifestyle. Besides, they had agreed to stay friends, and were in fairly regular contact. It was only when Sebastian greeted him with the words,

"Blaine? Is something wrong? Are you hurt?", that Blaine realized he rarely called him to just chat.

"No. No, Seb, I'm fine, I didn't mean to worry you, I'm sorry..."

"Hey," Sebastian laughed, "I was worried for perhaps ten seconds. No harm done. So what's up?"

"I'm – I'm kind of freaking out, a little. A lot. I don't know. But I'm definitely freaking out."

"Care to elaborate?"

"I think I'm going to enter a contract."

There was silence on the other end. Only Sebastian's breathing showed that he was still there.

"Seb, I'm sorry, you know I don't mean to -"

"No. I'm sorry," Sebastian interrupted. "I appreciate that you're telling me, and you have every right to...I really want you to be happy, Blaine. Anyway, this contract – is it with Kurt?"

"You know him?"

"He came talk to me after your first scene. Don't get mad, it wasn't to invade your privacy, he only asked about things he should definitely know if you are to enter a contract."

"So you're the one who told him about Alex."

"I had to, Blaine. And I didn't tell him any particulars – hell, I don't even know the particulars! Which should tell you that I really had to tell him, because you wouldn't, or not until it was too late, and that is really something he should know."

"Maybe you're right."

"You know I'm right. So what has you freaking out? That he'll hurt you?"

"No, miraculously, that's not it. I don't think he'd hurt me, not intentionally. It's more – me. I screw up, Seb. I don't submit easily, and you know how I freaked out when we were together, over such a little thing..."

"It wasn't so little. When I told Kurt, he looked at me like I should be shot at dawn. He cares for you, Blaine. And if you screw up, you'll have him to tell you – you don't have to do it yourself. And certainly not before you have even done anything."

"I guess you're right. Thanks, Seb."

"No problem. Anyway, I should let you go, I have work to do. I love you."

"I...know. Have a good night."

When Blaine hung up, he was feeling a little guilty, but also reassured. This contract was something he really wanted, and now he started to believe he could actually have it.

...

The week went by in a flurry of preparation. Kurt cleaned and sorted the playroom – again – and he finally got rid of some of Chandler's more personal toys. He couldn't replace everything – that would amount to more money than he was willing or able to pay – but Blaine deserved some things that had never been used before, some things that were all his own. He bought a few basics, but decided to leave the rest until he knew what exactly Blaine liked. And didn't like.

Friday arrived, and Blaine rang the doorbell at exactly six pm as arranged. Kurt was only a little nervous; he was in his comfort zone again, in complete control of the situation. Of course, the final decision would be Blaine's, but ultimately, that was always the case.

There was some initial awkwardness when Blaine arrived, but that soon dissolved when Kurt started to make dinner.

"It's an exception today," he said while he cut the vegetables for the stir-fry he had planned.

"If you sign, cooking for us will be your responsibility."

Blaine blushed. "I can't cook."

"Learn," Kurt advised. "We can do take-out in the beginning, and you can work your way up. It's a usefull skill to have in any case."

"Yes, Sir."

That Sir went directly to Kurt's cock, and he had to discreetly grab the counter to avoid a moan. It wasn't that he had never been called that before – he had been a Dom for nearly ten years, of course he had -, even Blaine had called him sir before. It was the fact that he didn't have to. They weren't in a contract, and they were not in a scene – Blaine could have called him Kurt, as he had done before.

"You can still call me Kurt, you know. If you decide to sign, though, you will never call me anything but sir, at least while we're alone."

Blaine smiled. "Then maybe it's best if I get some practice, Sir."

Kurt looked at him closely, and saw that Blaine's smile was a little too smug. He smiled and shook his head.

"You know exactly what it does to me when you call me that, don't you?"

Blaine's smile grew bigger. "Maybe, Sir."

Kurt went up to him, dragged him up by his shirt collar and kissed him once, hard and claiming. God, he really hoped Blaine would sign that contract.

Then he let him go. "Alright. You help with dinner, then we can get started sooner on the fun part of today. Finish cutting the veggies, I'll start the rice. Don't think you're getting out of learning to cook, though."

They finished cooking and eating quickly, then Kurt dug out the papers he had prepared earlier in the week while Blaine cleared the table. They sat down together and Kurt started talking.

"So, basics first. I know that you have work obligations and a social life. I have no wish to interfere with that, although if we are to be boyfriends in addition to being Dominant and submissive, you'll probably take me with you some time. All I ask is that on Sundays, you give me a rough itinerary of your week and tell me if anything changes that I should know about. And your weekends are mine."

"What if the occasional work or social obligation falls on a weekend?"

"Then that's okay. Although that will probably be the events where we'd take each other as boyfriends, if we choose to do so."

"I'd like to," Blaine said, blushing. "As you said, it gets awkward to have to pretend to be single just because the relationship isn't...a typical one. Apart from that, I'd be open to a six months contract, with possibility for renewal or renegotiation after that period."

"You'd go with a six months contract right from the beginning? Alright, but I'd like to suggest a one-month trial period, also with the possibility of renegotiation."

"That sounds reasonable," Blaine said, then laughed a little. "This is kind of awkward, isn't it?"

Kurt smiled. "It is. But I guess it's difficult to negotiate a contract without a ...somewhat formal language. So, why don't you just read the contract I prepared, and then come talk about it?"

Kurt busied himself with cleaning the kitchen, but Blaine didn't take long. He stood up from the table where he had been reading after a quarter of an hour.

"So quick? So either it's very good or very bad," Kurt said, only half kidding.

"No, it's – it's a good contract. Pretty basic, but covering everything important."

"Well, we can add things after the trial period, when we know each other better."

"Okay," Blaine nodded. "I like that you wrote both of us were to get tested for STDs. But I have one concern. Well. More of a question, really."

"Go ahead."

"Before we first played, I told you my limits. You seem to remember them quite accurately, yet you didn't list complete sensory deprivation among them. I'd like to know why."

"I'll add it if you really want, but I left it out because...well. I think that it isn't something you don't like, but something that you're scared of because of what you went through. If you're willing, I'd like to work up to it. Very slowly and only when and if you trust me enough."

Blaine sighed, rubbing his neck. "It's a little scary, the way you are able to see me, you know. You're right. Complete dep is something – the thought of it used to really excite me, but now, after...what happened, it just...scares the crap out of me. So...how about we talk about it after the trial period?"

"Okay. I wanted to ask, do you want to change safewords? Use personal ones?"

"No, I'm fine with colors for the time being, if that's okay."

"Of course. Now, shall I give you the grand tour?"

Kurt's apartment was beautiful and spacious. It had a combined kitchen and living area and two bedrooms, the smaller of which Kurt slept in. The second room was quite big, almost as big as the living area. It contained a bed, a big mirror, a few chairs, various cabinets and a padded leather bench.

"That's the playroom. I know it doesn't look like one, but that's because it has a second purpose as a guest room. I have a lot of clearing out to do whenever I have overnight guests."

Blaine looked around. The walls were painted in a warm red, the furniture was dark gray. He noticed that the ornate headboard of the bed had bars and looked quite sturdy, and that the padded bench that looked like a footstool was probably a spanking bench. He assumed that the cabinets contained toys and bondage gear. He smiled.

"I like it. It's very classy. I was with a Dom once who had a similar arrangement, but his choice of décor was pastels and floral prints. He had me waiting for him and then came into the room wearing leather pants and a cap, wielding a flogger. Everything looked very much like the devil in a Laura Ashley ad. I had to laugh so hard I had to leave, and never saw him again."

"Well," Kurt smiled. "I certainly hope laughing is the last thing you'll do in here. That is, if you decide to sign." Blaine wasn't sure, but he thought the smile that had started out a little diabolically and full of innuendo, turned a little insecure at Kurt's last words. He took a deep breath and looked him in the eyes.

"Kurt." One last time. "Sir. I'll sign."


	5. Chapter 5

**A little short and a little late, I'm sorry! My daughter is home sick and it just feels weird to write a story like this with a four-year-old on your lap.**

Kurt hoped he hadn't shown it, but before Blaine told him he'd sign the contract, all his confidence that usually came so easily to him had fled. For a moment, he had felt like in high school again, insecure and a little scared, but that passed as soon as Blaine said the words. He smiled, honestly happy and not afraid to show it.

"I'm glad," he said. "Shall we get right to it, then?"

He took Blaine's hand and let him back to the living room, where they said down at the table and signed on the dotted lines at the end of the contract.

Dominant..._Kurt Hummel_

Submissive..._Blaine Anderson_

Then Blaine looked Kurt in the eyes, smiled brightly, and sank to his knees in one fluid, graceful movement, looking up at Kurt expectantly. Kurt swallowed. He had intended to pour some cider, drink to their new relationship, maybe talk some more...but he decided that all of that could wait.

"Wait for me in the bedroom," he said hoarsely, and watched as Blaine didn't rise as expected, but crawled to the bedroom on his hands and knees. That was something Kurt had never expected from any of his submissives, and hadn't even thought he'd find appealing, but the look he got on Blaine's backside was definitely worth the slight discomfort he experienced while watching him. Still, he wouldn't do this often. Perhaps on special occasions, when they went to the club...but not at home. It was just too much.

His mind must have been somewhere else since Blaine had sunk on his knees, because he realized that he had said 'bedroom' when he meant to say 'playroom'. Well, it couldn't be helped now, and it didn't matter much. There was just something he had to get from the playroom. He wanted to push Blaine, just a little. Blaine easily let himself be taken from, even sometimes offering the little bit extra, like the kneeling and the crawling right now, but what if he had to give?

When he came to the bedroom, Blaine was kneeling naked beside the bed, in that perfect posture that Kurt had already learned to appreciate. Kurt pulled him up and kissed him for a long time, his hands touching nothing but the sides of Blaine's face, his lips never leaving Blaine's, but his tongue teasing, conquering and claiming in a way that soon had Blaine squirming and pressing his hard cock against him. That kiss was meant as a confirmation, and it felt that way; it was a consummation of their contract, of their new relationship.

But soon, it wasn't enough anymore.

Kurt pulled away, causing Blaine to whine in protest, and smiled. "Lie down on the bed," he whispered, then remembered that he had planned something. "Here," he said, handing Blaine a pair of handcuffs. "I want you to cuff yourself to the bed."

He held his breath as he watched Blaine. Would he be able to obey? To give up so completely, to not have control taken away from him, but give it, actively participating?

Emotions passed over Blaine's face, doubt, wonder, others that Kurt couldn't discern – but he walked over to the bed, slowly but without hesitation. He sat down on the bed, putting one hand in the cuff and closing it, then, with a deep breath, he wound the chain through the bars of the headboard and, with some difficulty, tied his second hand. He closed his eyes and lay down, his arms stretched above his head, tied by his own doing. He wriggled a little to make himself comfortable, then sighed and lay completely still, his breathing heavy, but his face peaceful.

Kurt rushed to his side.

"Good boy," he murmured, sitting beside Blaine, caressing his body in long, soothing strokes. "I know that must have been hard for you. But god, you look so beautiful like this."

Blaine smiled at him with closed eyes, and Kurt kissed him in thanks, for his submission as well as for the smile that showed him that Blaine was okay.

The kiss grew heated quickly, and Kurt remembered the original purpose of their visit to the bedroom. He started stroking Blaine again, but this time it wasn't to soothe him. It was teasing, promising; Kurt found each and every one of Blaine's 'spots' that he knew of. He lay down on Blaine, resting his whole weight on him, and kissed along his jaw and down his neck to the spot right above his collarbone. He rolled his nipples between his fingers, then licked one and sucked and, finally, bit down. He slid his fingers around Blaine's cock, brushing his balls and against his perineum, but never applying any pressure, never touching there where he knew Blaine wanted him to. Blaine gasped and whined when Kurt let his mouth replace his fingers, exploring Blaine's body with his lips and his tongue until Blaine was a quivering mess beneath him. Kurt ignored the way his own cock strained against his pants until he couldn't bear it any longer. Then he asked Blaine,

"How do you feel about being fucked?"

"God, yes. Yes, please..." Blaine groaned, letting his legs fall open.

Kurt rose and undressed, not putting on a show although Blaine watched him closely, longing and desire clear in his eyes, and then got the condoms and lube from the nightstand. He prepared Blaine quickly and efficiently, the time for teasing being over, but when he finally hiked Blaine's legs up, he stopped him.

"Sir..."

"What is it, sweetheart?"

"Please, I want...can I touch you?!

Kurt smiled, then reached over a little awkwardly to get the key and unlocked the handcuffs. Blaine's hands immediately flew to his back, stroking up and down, trying to touch as much of Kurt's skin as possible.

"Are you ready, beautiful?"

"Yes, yes please..."

Kurt kissed him and slowly pushed in, groaning when he was sheathed completely in warmth and tightness. He searched Blaine's eyes, looking for signs of pain or discomfort, but found none. So he started moving, fucking Blaine hard and fast, not being able to hold back anymore after all the teasing he had done earlier. Blaine looked far gone, too, meeting Kurt with every thrust, his eyes closed and his head thrown back in pleasure, but his hands never leaving Kurt for even a moment.

It didn't take long for Blaine to start moaning half-formed, unintelligible words whenever Kurt hit his prostate, and Kurt felt he wouldn't last much longer, so he took care to do that with every move.

"You can come whenever you like, sweetheart," he gasped, and when he felt his own movements become erratic because he wasn't able to hold a constant rhythm anymore, he put his hand on Blaine's cock and stroked. He had to do this only two or three times before Blaine came, shouting, and Kurt finally felt free to do the same, collapsing on Blaine with a groan.

He took a few moments to catch his breath and then got up to get rid of the condom and get a warm wet towel. He noticed that Blaine was half asleep already, only smiling at him with his eyes closed as Kurt cleaned him up gently. Kurt got under the covers, spooning him, and thought vaguely that he didn't usually let his subs sleep in his bed without earning it, then let himself sink into sleep.

…...

When Blaine woke, he was alone. He groaned, annoyed at himself – he had wanted to wake Kurt in proper sub manner. But when his eyes found the alarm clock, he found that it was just a little after eight a.m. - ridiculously early for a Saturday. At least he hoped that Kurt wasn't in the habit of waking so early every weekend. Blaine would have a hard time transitioning to that.

He put on his briefs and pants to go looking for Kurt. He found him in the kitchen, sitting at the counter with a cup of coffee, talking on the phone. When he saw him, Kurt shot him a smile, then talked into the phone again.

"Just a minute, Chandler, Blaine's awake."

He put the phone on the counter and walked over to Blaine, kissing him on the cheek.

"Good morning, beautiful. Would you please get started on breakfast? I'll take the phone to the study. I'll be out in a minute."

Blaine had hardly time to say, "Yes Sir," as Kurt was already on the way into his study, phone in hand.

Chandler. Their first morning together and Blaine's new Dom was busy talking to his former sub, and apparently their conversation was so private he couldn't even stay in the same room. It wasn't a good start.

Blaine was angry, insecure and frustrated as he made his way into the kitchen, bare feet cold on the tiles, to look for the things he would need to prepare breakfast. What was he expected to cook? He found toast and some eggs and figured he couldn't really ruin something as simple as scrambled eggs. Maybe he would try to make some pancakes from the mix bottle he found in the freezer if the eggs went well.

As he worked, he found he couldn't really concentrate on his task. He kept trying to listen to Kurt's and Chandler's conversation, but found it impossible to catch a word. After all, there was a corridor and a closed door between them. He could hear Kurt laughing every once in a while, and while the sound was wonderful, he felt that it should be he who made Kurt laugh like that.

Kurt didn't come out after a minute, either. Blaine had time to doubt himself, his Dom and his new relationship in silence, mixing the eggs with milk, salt and pepper and pouring them into the pan. Then he stood, watching the door to the study as if he could persuade Kurt to stop talking to Chandler this way, until he noticed the weird smell and the small cloud of smoke rising above the stove. He cursed, yanked the pan away and dumped it in the sink, letting cold water run into the hissing pan and over the charcoaled remains of the eggs. Then he opened a window to get rid of the smell, went into the bedroom, sat on the bed and waited.

It didn't take long. Kurt opened the bedroom door a few minutes later, asking,

"Sweetheart? Is everything okay? There was this smell, and...why are you in the bedroom?"

"You mean why am I not cooking," Blaine said bitterly. "I told you I can't cook. I burnt the eggs. It's a miracle the smoke detector didn't go off."

"I'm sure it's not that bad. And I'm also sure that's not the real reason you're sitting here like...I don't even know. You look like you're about to cry, and I'm sure it's not breakfast. I know I told you to make breakfast, but I also told you we'd work up to actual cooking. I would have been perfectly content with you setting the table and maybe cutting up some fruit. So what's really the matter?"

"Breakfast's not the problem, Kurt," Blaine said, a provocation. "The problem is that you spent the whole morning – our first morning together – chatting with your fucking ex-sub!"

Kurt raised an eyebrow. "That's quite an attitude you have there."

"I had a lot of time to get angry."

"I can see that. I want you to stay here and try to calm down while I take a shower and get ready. We will talk then." He came closer and sat down briefly next to Blaine, turning Blaine's head so he could look him in the eyes. "I'm not discounting you or your feelings on that matter. I just really want to give you – and myself, really – a little time to calm down so we can talk about this like civilized people. But we _will _talk about it."

It was a promise and a threat. Blaine gave his Dom a tight smile, then went to kneel beside the bed.

"Yes, Sir."


	6. Chapter 6

It was at least half an hour before Kurt reappeared, and Blaine cursed the annoying perfectionism that had prompted him to kneel while he waited although he hadn't even been ordered to do so. When he heard the bathroom door open, however, he took care to straighten and readjust his posture that has slipped a little during the wait. Time and the submissive position had indeed helped him to calm down a little; he was still angry about the way Kurt had chosen to spend the morning, but he was now more inclined to listen to his Dom and to trust they would be able to sort it out. There would be no more slips of language, either. He knew he would be punished for the way he had spoken to Kurt and about Chandler, even if Kurt should be understanding about the way he felt.

When Kurt walked into the bedroom, Blaine noticed with simultaneous regret and relief that he was already fully dressed. He had enjoyed his chance of seeing Kurt strip the night before, very much so, and was eager to repeat the experience, but at the moment, he was more set on getting to the talk and the punishment. He was a little nervous, to be honest. It wasn't as if he had never been punished before, but he didn't know Kurt yet, and he had wanted to avoid to merit punishment so early into their contract. And there was the talking part before that. Would Kurt be able to explain about his relationship to Chandler? It was probably moot to hope for Kurt to completely break all ties to him, the best he could expect was some sort of compromise. Would he be able to accept that?

–-

Kurt felt better after his shower. Dressed in clothes that made him feel confident, he felt ready to tackle the issues facing him. He knew he had acted thoughtlessly when he had accepted Chandler's call this morning, and when he had talked to him for so long. He also knew he should have explained their relationship to Blaine before it came to this, but hopefully, it wasn't too late.

Blaine seemed calm enough as he knelt on the floor, as ever the perfect picture of submission and obedience. No one would have thought him capable of talking to his Dom the way he had done not half an hour before. Kurt smiled to himself. A challenge, indeed. Good that he liked it that way.

"Good boy," he praised quietly. "Come sit with me now."

Blaine rose, and they sat on the bed, facing each other.

"May I go first, Sir?" Blaine asked, and when Kurt nodded, he continued. His words were stilted and formal, but his voice was honest.

"First of all, I want to apologize. I shouldn't have spoken to you that way. I was disrespectful, and I'm sorry. I know and accept that I will be punished for that."

He paused, looking down. "That said, I am still...uncomfortable with your relationship to your former sub. I was hoping you would perhaps be willing to explain it to me, help me understand, and also make clear what my part in your life is supposed to be. Yesterday I thought I knew, but after today,...I'm not so sure anymore."

He sounded hurt, close to tears towards the end, and Kurt felt like his heart might break for him. He wanted to hug him, hold him close – but that would solve nothing, nor was he entirely sure at the moment that Blaine would let him. He did, however, take one of Blaine's hands in both of his own.

"I am so sorry that I made you feel like this. That was never my intention. I will explain my relationship to Chandler as far as I can, but first I want you to know that you are my sub, my boyfriend, my lover. You are my priority. I'm sorry that I made it seem you weren't. I will work on that, I promise."

He paused and tilted Blaine's chin up, making him look him in the eyes.

"I promise. Now, Chandler. He was my sub for just about four years, until a little more than a year ago. We didn't work out, we just held on too long. Our relationship was very different from what I think ours, yours and mine, will be. Chan is...very devoted to the lifestyle. He works from home, has no contact to his family, and his only close friends are in the scene, too. He has never understood my need to keep up relationships outside, he never liked to pretend. There were other, major issues. We would never work. But I love him, and he loves me."

He saw Blaine flinch, and continued talking quickly, knowing that must have been hard to hear.

"That won't change. But I'm not in love with him anymore, nor is he with me. I know he came across as...a little possessive in the club, but he really isn't. He knows as well as I do that we are over. But we are friends. This is something you will have to accept. I will, however, tell him not to call me on weekends unless there's an emergency. And...I think you should meet."

Blaine looked at him incredulously. "You want me to meet your ex."

"I know it's a lot to ask, and I know it could be awkward. But there are things that might help you understand that only he can tell you."

Blaine looked at him for a long moment before letting his gaze fall down to the bed. Kurt thought he heard him mutter,

"The things I do..."

Then Blaine looked up again and said,

"I suppose I could do that, if you wanted me to. But...give it some time? I would like to get to know you before I get to know him."

Kurt nodded, smiling. "That's completely okay. Thank you."

He kissed him then. He had meant it to be a gentle, almost chaste kiss, just to seal the deal, so to speak, but Blaine surprised him by pressing in closer, opening his mouth and deepening the kiss.

Kurt was happy to let Blaine take the initiative for once, but he hesitated to let things go further, especially as they still had Blaine's punishment to discuss. But then, he thought as his hands cupped Blaine's face and his tongue opened his mouth, maybe they needed this. An affirmation. So he guided Blaine to lie down on the bed, never stopping to kiss him until they were both out of breath and every thought of 'talking first' had completely vanished. Kurt had nothing planned, nothing prepared. The handcuffs from yesterday were still on the bedside table, but he had no desire to use them. This would be plain vanilla, or as vanilla as he could get, as he was already feeling himself move Blaine's hands up over his head and keeping them there. He only wanted to hold Blaine, show him that he was his, love him...Shit. Kurt stiffened for a moment and interrupted the kiss as the unwelcome thought rushed through his head.

"Sir? Are you alright?" Kurt barely heard Blaine's breathless question, but quickly shook his head.

"I'm alright, sorry, sweetheart. I was just..."

"Distracted?"

"Only for a moment."

"I guess I'll have to up my game then." Blaine smiled and wriggled up from under Kurt, then made him lie down and straddled him.

"Is this okay?" he asked, and Kurt nodded, intrigued. He did not often find himself in this position, but that didn't mean he couldn't enjoy it.

Slowly and tenderly, Blaine began to open the buttons on Kurt's shirt, admiring and then kissing every spot of skin he uncovered. Finally, he opened the shirt completely and began to kiss and lick Kurt's chest, giving a lot of attention to his nipples that made Kurt gasp and writhe. By the time Blaine's lips reached Kurt's belt, Kurt was almost unbearable hard, very impatient and about done with letting Blaine lead.

"Enough with the teasing, boy. Get on with it," he growled, grabbing Blaine's hair, and could see Blaine quickly hiding his smile by mouthing at Kurt's cock through his jeans, only taking the time to say,

"Yes, Sir," before he finally opened the button of his pants.

Blaine lost no more time then getting rid of the last of Kurt's clothes. He only spent a few moments on licking up the length of Kurt's cock and teasing around the head, then went right to swallowing him down and sucking him. Kurt came in minutes and was still catching his breath when Blaine sat up, wiped his mouth and said, smiling,

"I'll go clean the kitchen and then start – well, it'll be brunch now, it's so late. Is that okay, Sir?"

He was nearly out of the room until Kurt was able to speak again.

"Um, pet?" When Blaine turned, he gestured at the still very visible bulge in Blaine's pants. "You don't want me to do anything about that?"

"No, Sir, I'm fine. Thank you."

"That's not some way you're punishing yourself, is it? Because I'm the one responsible for punishing you, and you _will _be punished."

"I'm aware, Sir,"Blaine said with a little smile. "And no, I'm really fine. I just wanted to serve you."

"Well, then thank you, sweetheart."

While Blaine cleaned up the mess in the kitchen, Kurt slowly cleaned up himself, then got dressed, all the time thinking about what had happened in his mind while he had been in bed with Blaine. This was their first weekend together, the first time they spent any kind of time in each other's company, and it certainly hadn't been all puppies and rainbows. Or, well, rather...his mind failed to comae up with a more BDSM-appropriate expression, but the thing was, they had had their problems. They still had a punishment to go through. Surely he couldn't really be in love?

When he thought about it, he realized, relieved, that he wasn't. His mind had supplied the word because that was how he wanted to make Blaine feel – make him feel safe, cared for, cherished.

And that wasn't the problem. The problem was that when Blaine had yelled at him earlier, he had just for a moment imagined him coming to him in a few weeks, months, even years, with tears in his eyes and a serious, earnest voice, begging to be set free. And the pain had been so sharp, so immediate, he had forgotten to breathe for a moment, and it had taken him much longer than it should, until way into his shower, that this was something they could work on, nothing to break them.

And he realized he was in way too deep.


	7. Chapter 7

By the time Kurt had manged to get himself together enough to come out of the bedroom, Blaine had set the table with toast and coffee and had even prepared a fruit salad. He was kneeling beside the table, waiting patiently, and looked up and smiled when Kurt entered the room. When Kurt came closer, he noticed that the table was only set for one person.

"Aren't you eating anything?" he asked.

Blaine rose, gallantly pulled out Kurt's chair and poured him a cup of coffee before he answered.

"I wasn't sure where you wanted me, Sir. The other times we ate together, we weren't in a contract. I don't know whether you want me to eat with you at the table, or if you want me to kneel on the floor."

Kurt was baffled; he hadn't even considered letting Blaine eat on the floor. Even Chandler had never...no. He needed to stop comparing them.

"Thank you for considering this," he told Blaine. "I want you to eat at the table with me. Having you eat on the floor – or the crawling you did earlier, that's not something I'm comfortable with on a regular basis."

He quickly continued talking when he saw Blaine wanted to apologize. "I like you on your knees very much, sweetheart, and it is definitely something we can revisit for special occasions, but it's too much for every day."

Blaine smiled and quickly got himself a cup and plate, then sat down at the table opposite Kurt.

They ate in silence for a while, then Kurt thought of something.

"I meant to ask – how long can you stay? Do you have to be back home tomorrow or can you stay the night?"

"Well, I was planning on going home tomorrow night, Sir, but I start working at eleven on Monday, so if you wanted me to, I could stay the night. I'll just have to rise early, because it's quite a drive from your place to my school, and I have to stop by at home to change clothes."

"And you don't need time to get out of your submissive head space? Time to transition to everyday life once again?"

"I don't know yet, Sir. I didn't used to. I actually take confidence out of being a claimed sub, more than enough at least to deal with a bunch of third graders."

He smiled, then continued. "It might be different, with you. You take me deeper into what you call my submissive head space, so it might take me longer to get out of it. I'll let you know."

Blaine finished his toast, then asked, "Sir? After we've eaten, could we deal with my punishment? I find myself increasingly nervous about it."

"No need to be nervous, pet. I'm sure it's nothing you haven't experienced before. I was planning on doing it in the evening, but I wouldn't want you to be on edge the whole day. Just try not to earn any more today, alright?"

Blaine rose and smiled. "Thank you, Sir. I'll be on my best behavior. Should I go to the playroom, Sir?"

"Yes, please. Strip, then stand facing the wall. Lean against it and put your butt out. I'll be there soon."

When Kurt entered the playroom a few minutes later, he found Blaine in the exact position he had requested.

"Very good, pet. Now, punishment will usually be dealt out with a crop, unless something else seems more appropriate. It's one stroke per offense except for particularly grave ones. I want you to tell me how many strokes you earned today, and what for."

Blaine hesitated, then lifted his head from where it had been resting against his arms. "Um, I think...one for burning breakfast. One for disrespecting you, one for disrespecting Chandler. One – or more – for doubting you."

Kurt stepped behind him and briefly rubbed his shoulders. "You are allowed to doubt me. I'm sad you did, but you had a good reason to, and I don't delude myself that all those doubts are removed completely. I know there's a lot I haven't told you about myself and Chandler, but that's because it's not just my story to tell. So no, you won't be punished for that."

He opened a door and chose one from a variety of crops behind it. "As for the others, they're accurate. So three it is."

Without further warning, he flicked the crop against Blaine's right buttock. Blaine flinched and hissed, but said nothing, and he quickly relaxed after the initial shock. Kurt paralleled the red stripe that was developing on the other buttock, and the third stroke crossed the other two.

Kurt put the crop back and then turned Blaine and kissed him.

"Good boy. All done now."

Blaine seemed no worse for wear; he smiled at Kurt, the relief at being forgiven clear in his eyes.

"Thank you, Sir. Should I get dressed now?"

"Are you cold at all?"

Blaine shook his head. "I'm quite comfortable."

Kurt smiled, letting his eyes wander over Blaine's naked body. "Then I think you should just stay this way."

Kurt showed Blaine the chores that were his when he came over on the weekends. There wasn't too much to do; it was a town apartment, after all, albeit spacious, and Kurt was a tidy man. It was a beautiful sight watching Blaine cleaning and tidying up, all naked, and Kurt found that it was an easy way to keep Blaine on the edge of subspace. He sat down to deal with some paper work he had brought home. When Blaine passed his desk once while clearing something up, he let his hand swipe across his ass, and when he heard Blaine's breath hitch, he thought this was too good an opportunity to pass up. So, whenever Blaine came into his reach, he stopped him and devoted a few seconds to teasing him, kissing him or stroking his nipples, his cock and balls, once even briefly dipping a finger into his hole. Soon he noticed that Blaine seemed to have to cross his desk increasingly often to go about his chores, and his enjoyment at watching Blaine increased when Blaine continued working with a perpetual hard-on.

After a while of this, however, Kurt found himself increasingly affected by their playing, and remaining seated in his tight pants became uncomfortable. So he opened his pants and beckoned to Blaine, who, when he saw this, got on his knees without a word and blew him enthusiastically.

When it was over, Blaine looked up at him, palming his own erection.

"Sir, please?"

"What is it, sweetheart?"

"Make me come? I feel like I've been hard for ages."

"Oh, I guess you have," Kurt said and ran a teasing finger along the length of Blaine's cock, making him shiver and whine. "But you are so very pretty like this. So...I'll have to say no. But I'll make you come tonight, any way you want, if you can try and stay hard for me today. You can touch yourself however you need to."

He stroked Blaine's cock a few times for good measure, and Blaine closed his eyes and surrendered to his touch, even though, with the knowledge he couldn't come, it had to be torture to him by now.

"I somehow don't think staying hard will be a problem, Sir," he said when Kurt finally stopped teasing him.

"We'll see. You can go on doing your chores now."

"I'm done, Sir," Blaine admitted. "I was only pretending to be still working so I could have a reason to walk past you."

Kurt laughed. "Well, that's what you get from that. I'm not finished, though, I was getting distracted more often than not. You can do what you like for a while, then."

"May I...just stay here with you, Sir? I'll be quiet, I won't disturb you."

"Sure," Kurt said, pleased. "Just make yourself comfortable, it might be a while."

For the next hour or so, Kurt worked with Blaine kneeling quietly beside him. Blaine seemed to be under; not so much that he lost all alertness, but so that he could just be there without fidgeting, without any need except to every once in a while have Kurt's hand gently carding through his hair. Now and then, he would stroke his own cock for a few times when it threatened to go soft, but his touch had lost all urgency.

...

Kurt was in a mood today, Blaine decided when he was brought back out of the safe haven of subspace into a world in which he was ordered to phone for takeout for dinner, all the while naked and hard. He briefly wondered if all the teasing and denial was part of his punishment, but decided it wasn't. After the crop, he had been forgiven, and he didn't think it was part of Kurt's character to hold a grudge. Blaine felt good, actually, he thought as he looked up the number of the restaurant they were going to order from. He had spent most of the day at the edge of or even in subspace. He had been there before he had known Kurt, but only after sex for a short time, and he hadn't even known he could be there for so long, floating quietly, without a care in the world except keeping his Dom happy. But then, he hadn't known that he could hold an erection for so long, either.

"Good evening, this is Blaine Anderson. I would like to order in - "

He interrupted himself rather abruptly when he felt Kurt's warm mouth on his cock, and bit his hand to keep from groaning into the phone.

"Sir, please -" he whispered, but Kurt lifted his head only briefly to say,

"Keep going, pet."

So Blaine took another moment to try and steady his breath and then went back to order dinner. He didn't remember what exactly he ordered. He was too busy relishing the wonderful feelings Kurt's mouth was evoking in him, masquerading the fact that he was receiving a masterful blowjob while he was on the phone, and, above all, not coming. It was hard, and he was half disappointed, half relieved when the sweet torture ended as soon as the phone call did.

"Sir, you are a cruel, cruel man," he panted when he had hung up. Kurt only laughed.

Dinner went past him. He was sure the food was good, as far as takeout went, but he couldn't eat much. His attention was elsewhere, and he nearly wished he would be allowed to kneel beside the table. Although it wasn't something he particularly enjoyed, it would have fitted his mindset today. What he had told Kurt was true; he was certainly in deeper than he had ever been before, and he wasn't sure how to get out of his little world in which he was hit, teased and denied, but safe and appreciated, and out into the real world come Monday.

Kurt made them sit through a movie after dinner and allowed Blaine to lie down on the couch with him, his head in his Dom's lap. He tried to slip under again, but found he couldn't. Although he still felt completely at peace as he ignored the movie while Kurt was stroking his hair, he was too on edge, and his erection had started to hurt a while ago. Around halfway through the movie, he found himself begging.

When Kurt finally relented and led him towards the playroom, he fell to his knees as soon as they had passed the door.

"Please, Sir -" he brought out, then his words failed him.

"Anything you want, beautiful," Kurt promised. "You have been very good for me. What do you want?"

"Please fuck me," Blaine said. It wasn't a decision he remembered making, and yet there was no other answer he could have given.

"As you wish," Kurt said, smiling, then turned and opened a drawer in a cabinet, producing a cock ring. "There is a catch, however. You are allowed to come, but only after me. And as I have come twice already today, that might take a while."

When Kurt finally came inside him and slipped the ring off Blaine, he came so hard he passed out.


	8. Chapter 8

It took Kurt a long time to fall asleep. Blaine had only woken for a short time when Kurt had cleaned him up, then gone right back to sleep, and Kurt hadn't had the heart to wake him. So he had, once again, found himself with Blaine in his bed, in the playroom no less, instead of on the pallet on his bedroom floor where he had his subs usually sleep unless they earned their place in his bed.

He had to admit he liked it, though, holding Blaine in his arms when he fell asleep, and he could always establish the rule later.

Now, however, he found himself listening to Blaine's quiet breathing, completely awake. It had been a long, intense day that had turned out much better than the rather awful morning had suggested. Blaine had been in a good head space for most of the day, and all the teasing had been delicious in a way he had seldom experienced before. It made him hope they could establish a real connection before too long.

That was the root of what occupied his thoughts at the moment to the point where he couldn't sleep.

To do that, to really find that connection and that trust he wanted, they had to do something, and he couldn't decide if the best time for that would be tomorrow or at a much later point in their relationship. To do it this early could break them, but they couldn't really progress until they had gotten it out of the way.

Finally, he decided it had to be before the end of their trial period, and since they could only do this on a weekend, that left only tomorrow, next weekend or the one after. They needed at least one weekend of pure fun and indulgence after that, and there was no point putting it off, so tomorrow it would be. It would be intense, but if they did it early in the day, both of them would have enough time to recover.

Having made that decision, and although he was anxious towards tomorrow, he was able to finally will himself to sleep.

When he woke up the next morning, Blaine was still sleeping, but just when Kurt started contemplating whether to rise or snuggle up to his boy some more, Blaine slowly opened his eyes.

Kurt smiled at him. "Good morning, sweetheart. How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling...wonderful, Sir."

It sounded sleepy and somewhat surprised.

…...

It was true, Blaine realized once he was awake enough. He'd probably have answered with 'fine' in any case, because that was how he was – though he was beginning to understand that that was an act he wouldn't be allowed to hold up with Kurt, and he wouldn't deny that it frightened him a little.

For the moment, though, he really felt wonderful. He had slept as long and as good as he hadn't in ages – that was probably what passing out after an exceptional orgasm would do to you – and right now, he was completely content. He could lie here forever and look at Kurt's face in a sleepy haze, he thought, when he heard his stomach rumble and decided that maybe getting up to make breakfast wouldn't be such a bad idea.

Kurt laughed; he had heard it too. "Go make breakfast, pet. I'll join you shortly."

Blaine stood up and put on some pants, then hesitated and asked,

"Sir? May I try scrambled eggs again? I'll try not to burn them again.""

"If there are any eggs left, you may. And if you do burn them – well, you know what you'll get."

Kurt playfully smacked Blaine's jeans-clad ass in passing, then disappeared in the bathroom.

The eggs turned out fine – not exactly great, but edible. They ate for a while, talking and laughing over their coffees, but Blaine found himself more and more nervous about what the day would bring. Kurt had been clear about wanting him to stay the night; he had said something about 'giving him time to recover', and although Blaine had nothing against a little pain and never thought that Kurt would really hurt him, the comment made him rather apprehensive. He wasn't scared, but he felt a little jittery and found himself simultaneously looking forward to and dreading whatever his Dom had planned.

After breakfast, Kurt said,

"Go take a shower. Don't bother to get dressed afterwards, but clean up breakfast. Take all the time you need, then come into the playroom."

Blaine took his time with the shower, and with the cleaning up. He tried to relax; he knew Kurt probably wanted him to do his chores naked because that had worked so well yesterday. Then, it had rendered him calm and centered, on the edge of subspace, but today, it was no use. He was too wired up, too on edge with nerves and anticipation.

He took a deep breath before opening the door to the playroom. There was nothing like a good scene to calm one's nerves, was there?

…...

"Lie down over the spanking bench, please," Kurt said. He was completely calm now, his nerves left at the door together with his everyday attitude when he entered the playroom. There were three ways this could go, and each of them was good in its own way. Even the worst outcome could help them, could teach them something for their relationship.

He knelt down in front of Blaine, who had obediently lain across the bench, and kissed him, lovingly and thoroughly. Then he cuffed his wrists and ankles to the bench.

"Tell me your words, pet."

"Yellow and red, Sir."

"Good boy. I want you to use them if you need to, alright?"

"Yes, Sir."

Kurt rose and got a flogger out of a cabinet. It wasn't the heavy kind Blaine seemed to favor, but a light one with thin tails that would leave more of a sting. He showed it to Blaine, letting the tails run through his fingers and then smacking it against his own thigh once. He watched Blaine close his eyes and swallow and told him,

"I can make you fly, if you let me."

He knew he could; he had done it before, to other subs, skillfully whipped them until they 'flew', until they reached that sublime state of complete serenity that sometimes, so he was told, even surpassed subspace. He had even, in a weaker form, experienced it himself, when he had subbed for Elliot during his training.

Making Blaine fly would be the best possible outcome of today's scene, but Kurt doubted they could achieve that. He could see from Blaine's posture that he was not as relaxed as he had hoped, and while it was no requirement, it would have helped considerably. It didn't matter much, though, he thought as he began slowly trailing the tails of the flogger across Blaine's body. It would have been beautiful, but they could always do that another time. They would achieve something in any case.

He flicked the flogger in tiny kitten-lick strokes over Blaine's body, warming him up for the main event. Blaine relaxed slightly, and Kurt noticed him shifting slightly to accommodate his stiffening cock on the bench, as much as his bonds would allow.

He gradually increased the intensity of his strokes until Blaine panted and he was covered with a light sheen of sweat. His voice was strained when he begged,

"Talk to me, Sir? Please?"

Kurt's voice was soft. "What do you want me to say, sweetheart? That you look beautiful like this? That you're doing great? Your skin is slowly turning red, you practically glow. You look so lovely."

Blaine spoke through ragged breaths. "No – no, Sir, I just – I needed to hear your voice. I – I needed to know you're here."

"I'll always be here when you need me, sweetheart."

While he continued flogging him, Kurt looked at Blaine. There would definitely be no flying today. Tension was visible in his whole body. Blaine's hands were clenched in fists, and though he couldn't see his face very well, he would bet his eyes were squeezed shut and his teeth clenched.

"Please. Sir – please..."

"What is it, sweetheart?"

Blaine didn't answer, but he exhaled in a muffled sob. And Kurt realized he had miscalculated. Not necessarily Blaine's reaction – he had known it might be like this – but his own. In all his reasoning that this was important, that they needed this, one way or another, he had forgotten just how much he hated doing that. And it was pretty clear by now that what he was waiting for wasn't going to happen. Blaine was sobbing constantly now and would occasionally beg without saying for what, but apart from that, he wasn't speaking."

He looked at his hands and saw that they were trembling, and it wasn't from the exertion. He would have liked to throw the flogger away, but he didn't want to let Blaine drop too fast. He decreased the intensity of his strokes, probably faster than he should, then dropped the flogger and briefly pressed his palms against his burning eyes before he knelt at his sub's side and quickly uncuffed him before carefully pulling him into his arms.

Blaine's sobs wrenched at his body and at Kurt's heart. He felt himself in danger of starting to cry, too, so he quickly buried his face in Blaine's hair, breathing in his scent and telling himself over and over again that everything would be alright.

After a while, Blaine calmed enough for Kurt to softly ask,

"What do you need, sweetheart?"

"Just – this. You."

Kurt nearly sobbed in relief. Blaine didn't want to pull away, to run. Kurt would have let him – what other choice was there – but to not have to, for Blaine to actively seek company and comfort in him even after this made him hope they could get through this, make it out on the other side stronger than before.

So he made himself as comfortable as he could on the floor, sitting down and leaning against the bed, and pulled Blaine into his lap, stroking his hair and his back and whispering soothing things for a long time.

He had cared for Blaine's back, double-checking he had not physically harmed him, and rubbing cooling cream into the heated skin. Blaine sat beside him now, still seeking his touch, but sitting upright and looking fine, if a little tired and sad.

"How is your back?" Kurt asked for what must be the fifth or sixth time.

Blaine smiled a little. "It's fine, Sir. It pulls and burns a little, but it isn't so bad."

"Okay. I want you to get dressed. Comfortable clothes, if you want to forgo the shirt, that's fine. Then come into the living room so we can talk."

Kurt made tea for the both of them, his go-to drink for difficult conversations. Blaine came into the room, dressed in sweatpants and a soft shirt, his expression unreadable, and knelt beside the couch.

Kurt put the steaming cups on the table, sat down and patted the couch, indicating for Blaine to sit down, too. He wanted to be able to easily touch Blaine and also felt that the submissive position was inappropriate for the kind of discussion they had to have.

Blaine sat down beside him, facing Kurt, but looking at his feet.

"I'm sorry, Sir."

Kurt nodded thoughtfully. "What are you sorry for?"

Blaine swallowed, looking confused. "I-I couldn't take it, Sir. I'm sorry, I just couldn't -"

"No. No, that is not what you should be sorry for," Kurt interrupted firmly. "That's on me. I am responsible for seeing what you can take and what not. I pushed you on purpose, and although I'm sorry for causing you pain, I believe that it was necessary. Because I was waiting for something from you, Blaine."

Blaine was quiet for some time, shaking his head a little, then inhaling sharply and burying his head in his hands. "My safeword," he whispered, finally looking at Kurt. "You were waiting for me to safeword."


End file.
